1: Forbidden
by Ceu Praca
Summary: Eleven years before the Hero of Time, there was a powerful Sheikah warrior who wished only to live in peace and keep Hyrule safe. There was only one thing standing in the way: his king wanted him dead. ****Book 1 of the Descent Trilogy****Pre-OoT****
1. Threat

**A/N: **This is the first book in the AU _Redemption Series_, and the first book in the _Descent Trilogy_. This is also the reboot of the original draft of _Forbidden._ Chronologically, it begins about 11 years before the events of _Ocarina of Time._ As my longtime followers are aware of, this is the origin story of the Hero of Time. Or, rather, the story of his parents. Now, this does have some spoilers for _Dragon Sword, __The Mountain Swords_, and _The Smallest Light,_ but nothing world-shattering. As long as you don't mind having some secrets revealed to you early, you should be fine. Although, there's a pretty cool Reread Bonus here, if you want to come reread this after you finish _The Mountain Swords_ and _The Smallest Light._ Now have fun, and don't forget to give feedback!

**Disclaimer: **Oh, yes, Hyrule and all within it belongs to Her Grace, Hylia, and the Happy Mask Salesman, otherwise known as Shigeru Miyamoto.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Threat<strong>

"I am wary of another Gerudo attack. Double the border patrols."

The dark, well-muscled figure didn't move from where he stood in the dimly lit room, though his crimson eyes were fixed on the man pacing in front of him. _"Do you think our Shadows are doing an inefficient job?"_ he growled softly, the barest hint of irritation audible in his low, deep voice.

The man paused mid-step, glaring at the other, his eyes glowing a bright, scarlet hue. _"Yes. A team of five Gerudo slipped through the border last week and stole ten horses from the ranch in the center field. The cowards continue to take our valuable resources without consequence. Do as I say, or you will be reprimanded harshly."_

_"Our Shadows are already stretched thin, Master; we cannot afford to double the patrols,"_ came the quiet reply.

_"Then send out the Guardians as well!"_ the Master snarled, stalking closer to glare furiously into the other man's eyes._ "Ganondorf is waiting for the right moment to attack, I know it!"_

_"I don't think it's Ganondorf our people need to worry about,"_ the man muttered under his breath.

_"What did you say?!"_ the Master hissed venomously, his hands drifting toward a pair of knives strapped to his belt.

The man's eyes narrowed. _"These patrols are taxing our people relentlessly when we need to focus on strengthening our tribe. You are weakening the Shadow People, and this madness must stop. The Gerudo are thieves; they always have been. As of yet, they have not actually harmed anyone. There is no threat."_

The Master's blades were abruptly pressed to the man's throat, and he growled, his expression tinged with madness. _"I should kill you now for treason."_

_"Caring for my people is considered treason?"_ the man scoffed, not backing down.

_"Directly contradicting the king could be!"_ the Master warned. _"All I need to destroy you is one reason, no matter how small. You have been in my way for far too long; it's time that I ended you."_

_"Perhaps you could remind me of exactly how many of your assassination attempts I have evaded now?"_ the man replied coolly, seemingly unconcerned. _"Your wife is in the next room. Should you explain to her how you managed to murder your eldest during what is supposed to be a peaceful discussion? By law, we can only kill each other if a proper challenge has been dealt. Am I correct, Master?"_

The Master gnashed his teeth furiously, but grudgingly withdrew the knives, sheathing them. _"Do not push your luck, Anger. You have become too much of a nuisance. I will eliminate you before the next year has passed."_

_"Go ahead,"_ the man snapped, spinning on his heel and striding toward the door. He halted, glancing over his shoulder at the seething king. _"Or…perhaps I will eliminate you."_

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**A/N: **For those who read the original draft...this first chapter isn't changed much at all. Fixed some minor grammatical errors and tenses, but other than that, it's basically the same. This whole conversation was in _italics _because those two were actually speaking the _Shaekar'i _language the entire time; it was just translated into Hylian for your benefit, and so that I wouldn't have to stick a glossary here at the bottom.


	2. The Harrows

**Chapter 2: The Harrows**

A cucco paced the streets of Hyrule Castle Town, pecking at the cobblestones and occasionally raising its beak to sound off its distinctive cry. It only managed to crow once more, however, before it was abruptly drenched in water; the bird squawked furiously, hopping madly and flapping its wings, but failed to notice the source of the water.

The woman smirked from where she sat in the windowsill, setting the now-empty bucket to one side and rubbing sleep out of her eyes before rising and heading downstairs, giving her small clinic a once-over to make sure everything was still in its place.

She'd barely begun to eat a light breakfast before she heard a frantic knocking on her door.

"Guinevere!" a voice called urgently. "Oh, Gwen, you have to help me!"

Gwen was immediately on alert, opening the door to see an elderly woman standing there worriedly. "What's wrong, Elena?"

"It's Aelred; he's not eating!"

_Oh? And this would be what, the ninth time this month?_ She sighed, but dutifully followed the woman to her small home, where an equally old man was sitting at a kitchen table with a vacant look in his pale brown eyes. "Aelred?" Gwen asked softly.

His eyes barely moved in her direction, but she heard him mumble, so softly that he wife wouldn't hear him, "I'm not eating anything she makes."

Gwen resisted the urge to laugh, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry," she whispered back. "but you do need to eat something."

"'Tis poison, I tell ye," he grumbled, poking at the bowl of soup in front of him. "Can't tell the difference between cinnamon and hot pepper anymore, my wife."

She glanced over her shoulder, where Elena was hovering nervously by the door, then turned back to him and smiled apologetically. "Would you eat just plain bread?"

Aelred raised a thick, white eyebrow at her, flashing a cheeky, gap-toothed grin. "If ya don't put hot pepper on it, I will."

"Maybe you just need to start _talking_ to your wife every now and then," she answered quietly.

"But I have too much fun letting her interpret my body language," he protested with a snort of muffled laughter. "She's half-deaf, anyway."

"Be nice," Gwen scolded. "You've been married to her for eighty years now; don't go insulting her now."

"Aw, that's just my way of saying I love her," he cackled. "Now get me my bread, young 'un!"

She rolled her eyes, turning to Elena and raising her voice slightly so that the old woman could hear her. "He's perfectly fine, just not in the mood for soup. If you'll excuse me, I should be going."

"Thank you, Gwen," Elena responded gratefully. "He's getting more stubborn every day!"

She nodded and left, heading back to her own home and shaking her head, chuckling; the residents of Castle Town never failed to amaze her with what they considered to be 'emergencies.' It was rare that the young doctor actually had a serious case to deal with.

_May as well get some of my dirty clothes washed before someone calls me about a stubbed toe,_ she thought with amusement, grabbing her hamper and heading out in the direction of the laundry pool in Hyrule Field.

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**A/N: **Again, this chapter is mostly the same as the original draft, however, I changed the beginning paragraphs. Gwen doesn't like cuccos, does she? XD "The Harrows" refers to the old people, Aelred and Elena Harrow. And yes, Gwen is a doctor, but sadly, she is _not_ a Time Lord.


	3. Riverbank

**Chapter 3: Riverbank**

The music was slow and relaxed as it echoed from the silver flute, flurries of white snow occasionally sparking from the metal. The man playing the flute seemed equally lazy, leaning against a tree on a hill. The only sign that he was even paying attention to his surroundings were his sharp red eyes that flickered up now and again to scan the fields for any hint of danger.

Drawn by the sleepy tune, a bird fluttered about his head, eventually mustering the courage to perch on his shoulder, pecking at his long tresses of silver hair. He paused briefly to smile, but otherwise ignored the bird, switching to a slightly faster tune, the music rising and falling like waves.

"If only every day could be as calm as this," he mused to the bird after a little while, who in turn pecked his ear, causing him to flinch. Chuckling softly, he set the flute down in the grass and held up one hand; after a moment's hesitation, the bird hopped into his palm, chirping rapidly.

He grinned at it, whistling a low note and raising it up to look into its feathery face; it pecked his nose, and he rolled his eyes, setting the bird on his knee and picking up the flute to resume his playing.

That was when he noticed movement in the corner of his eye, and turned slightly, meeting the blue gaze of a Hylian woman. He immediately jumped to his feet, the bird cheeping in alarm and flying away as he took a few steps back defensively, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the threat.

She was short, thin, and carrying a laundry basket. Probably not dangerous, then. He gave a curt nod, kneeling briefly to pick up his flute from where he'd dropped it, then turned to leave before she could speak or ask any questions.

"Wait!" he heard her voice.

He growled softly, picking up the pace slightly, but he didn't dare teleport or turn invisible, nor did he acknowledge her call; it was bad enough that she'd already seen him.

He reached the bank of Zora's River, then there was a flash of yellow hair and she'd run around to stand in front of him; he blinked rapidly, startled by her speed, and noticed with annoyance that she had a look in her eyes that he knew all too well: stubbornness.

"If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere I need to be," he snapped, his temper waning. He was already mad that she'd been able to sneak up on him in the first place.

She tossed her long, gold hair over one shoulder, frowning up at him. "Who are you?"

He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to remain where he stood. It was bad enough that he'd been so careless; he didn't want to reveal what he was. "Do you often wander the fields looking for random people to annoy?"

Her frown deepened. "No, but an insanely tall guy with swords and blood-colored eyes is cause for concern."

"Most people would avoid anyone of that description," he muttered, glaring at her.

The Hylian merely smirked. "Okay, since you won't talk, I'll go first. My name's Gwen. What's yours?"

"Anger," the man retorted, tucking his flute into a slot on his belt before folding his arms and taking a pace back from her. "Get out of the way."

She didn't answer immediately, arching one eyebrow and looking him up and down, then gave a friendly smile. "Your music was beautiful."

That surprised him, and he took another pace back, confused. "Um…"

"The normal response would be 'thank you,'" she pointed out, grinning.

He shook his head, the scowl returning. "Will you just get out of the way?"

"Why?" she asked, sounding honest.

The man didn't bother responding, moving to push past her; as soon as his hand brushed her wrist, he jolted and froze, his eyes widening as he felt an icy chill run up his arm into his chest, lingering for a moment before vanishing.

She took a stumbling pace back, her eyes widening, and he quickly clenched both hands tightly. _She felt it too. What was that?_ Not caring what she thought, he reached out and touched her hand again; she didn't pull away, seeming transfixed. Again, he felt that strange ice, stronger this time.

He snatched his hand away quickly, glowering. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything!" she protested.

"Stay away from me," he hissed, turning away and leaping over the river to the other bank, not caring what she saw by this point as he took off, running swiftly to Zora's Domain.

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**A/N: **Okay, so I changed this chapter completely from what it used to be. Their meeting in the original draft seemed too...well, too cliche, to be honest. And I wanted the guy to seem like less of a freaky jerk. And I wanted to give Gwen the upper hand, for once. XD


	4. Snowdrifts

**Chapter 4: Snowdrifts**

Noontide came swiftly, and his feet barely touched the snow as he ran up the mountainside, his body wreathed in shadow. A white wolfos burst up from a drift and began running beside him, not snarling or chasing, merely accompanying him calmly. The icy beast woofed softly, but he didn't acknowledge it, his stride not slowing until he'd reached the other side of the jagged peak, halting in front of a stone door that was embedded in the snow.

He sighed heavily, one hand reaching to stroke the wolfos' head absentmindedly; it barked, nudging his side and wagging its tail before bounding in circles around him, smacking the drifts playfully with its forepaws.

_"Enough, girl,"_ he growled, taking a small, glowing, violet-white stone from his pocket. _"I'm not in the mood to play."_

The wolfos whined in protest, but dutifully returned to his side, nudging him again as he inserted the crystal into a hole in the door. The stone immediately glowed with magic, sigils lighting up to highlight a distinctive eye, then it faded and the door rumbled open.

He retrieved the key and entered the narrow stairwell, traveling down into the chamber beneath. The blackness of the room was split only by a thin shaft of light funneled through a chimney, though even that was soon disrupted when he focused his power and all twenty of the wall-mounted torches flared to life, illuminating the spacious forge room.

He lit the coals and pumped the bellows a few times, the stone forge soon blazing, then lowered himself onto an old chair and propped his head up in his hands, staring at the wolfos.

She cocked her head, ears perking up and red eyes shimmering with magic. For a moment he thought she would say something profound, then she huffed and licked his face, causing him to chuckle and ruffle her ears.

_"Why would a Hylian be upsetting you?"_ the wolfos asked abruptly in a high, clear voice.

He frowned. _"I hate it when you read my mind like that, Eternal."_

She shook her thick mane of fur, baring her long fangs briefly in a grimace. _"We are bound to each other, Anger. I hear your thoughts whether I wish to or not. The Hylian upset you. What happened? Your mind is all in a jumble."_

_"I…"_ he hesitated, bowing his head and clasping his hands together tightly. _"I'm not sure. When I touched her, it was…it was like Future himself had blasted me with his magic. It was…cold."_

_"Hylians cannot wield magic, though,"_ Eternal pointed out, shaking her head. _"That makes no sense. Perhaps you should ask a wiser spirit for advice. I am afraid I have no answers for you."_

_"Perhaps I shall,"_ he replied, relieved that she had at least offered a potential solution.

The wolfos jumped up and tackled him to the ground without warning; he laughed, wrestling with her to gain the upper hand, but the magical creature was the stronger by far and easily pinned him. _"Cheer up, Anger! You've survived this long, a chance encounter with a Hylian won't kill you!"_

He grinned, flicking her nose. _"I suppose not. Let me up, Eternal; I have work to do."_

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**A/N: **So, this chapter has been changed completely from the original. Namely, Impa was replaced by Eternal, the white wolfos. Unlike other white wolfos, she can talk, and has fur, rather than being made out of ice. Once again, the conversation was in _italics _because they were speaking _Shaekar_, not Hylian. You can kinda tell by this point, though. Obviously Anger, Eternal, and Future are translations of _Shaekar_ words. The Sheikah word for Hylian is _Rulyai, _by the way. This one is a bit short, but the next chapter is slightly longer than usual, so I guess it balances out.


	5. Knives

**Chapter 5: Knives**

Outside of Hyrule's borders, carved deep into the base of the Eldin Volcano, was a village concealed by magic. The houses were mostly part of the cliffs, only the doors and windows visible, with a wide street and a spring of freshwater at the southernmost end. The following night, the water glowed faintly as the man approached, and he veered to the right to enter a side cave.

It led up to a platform above the pool, and he knelt to stare down to where the glow originated. _"Eldin, I need to speak with you."_

Only silence answered him for a moment, then he felt a faint pressure in his mind, and he immediately lowered his guard, allowing the light spirit to enter his thoughts.

_Speak, then…_ Eldin invited gently, respectful of the man's privacy and unwilling to simply probe his mind to learn what was wrong.

The man hesitated, nervous about confiding in him like this, but the light spirits were the only ones outside of the wolfos that he trusted enough to share his innermost thoughts. _Something happened earlier today that troubles me. I encountered a Hylian in the field, and when I came in contact with her, I felt cold. It was some strange magic that I have never experienced before._

Eldin's light made a small purring sound that he recognized as laughter, and the glow became brighter momentarily. _Why, unless she happens to be part ice drake, it sounds like you formed the Bond._

The man jolted, his eyes widening. _What? No! That's impossible!_

_Is it?_ the spirit answered with a soft chuckle. _I have guarded the Shadow People for eons; I recognize the Bond when I see it. You're touched by Hylia's sealing magic._

_It's a Hylian, though!_ Anger growled, glaring into the water._ I don't have to explain the Shadow People's law to you. What should I do about this matter?_

_Act on it,_ Eldin replied.

He heard a chuckle in the former dragon's voice, and scowled at the light._ I don't even like Hylians, and you know what would happen; it is against the law, Eldin._

_You…opposed the law…quite strongly…back when it was first formed…if I recall correctly._

_You're still not hearing me; I don't like Hylians! They're stupid, slow, and inconsiderate. How can I break this Bond?_

_Does that make them…so different from the stupid, fast, and inconsiderate…Shadow People?_ Eldin retorted with as much flippancy as a ball of light could have. _Maybe you…dislike them because…you do not know them. The Bond is unbreakable. To challenge it would be to offer a challenge to Hylia Herself._

_You are still forgetting the law,_ he grumbled, resigning himself to the fact that the spirit really wasn't in the mood to actually listen to him.

_The law…can be changed…_ Eldin purred quietly in his mind.

_Only by the Master, and Jualis is nowhere near sane, let alone willing to change a law that he wrote in the first place._

_Then perhaps…there should be a new Master…_

He frowned, knowing what the spirit was suggesting. _I cannot defeat him. Believe me, I have tried. He is too strong._

_Regardless…there must be a new Master…if the law is to be changed…_

_I want nothing to do with the Hylian, though,_ he protested. _I want to change the law, but I do not want to act upon the Bond._

_That…is your choice…_ Eldin answered. _However…after ten thousand years…your destiny finally approaches…_

_What do you mean?_ he asked, confused.

_Your fate…is tied to the point of a knife…the time is coming…do not be afraid…_

The Sheikah warrior felt a distinct sense of unease at those words, then Eldin withdrew from his mind so abruptly that he gasped. Out of nowhere, a sharp, blinding pain shot through his chest; his scream was cut short when a powerful hand clamped over his mouth, and the dagger was twisted further into his back, causing him to emit a muffled groan, sagging backward into the strong arms of his assailant.

_"Told you I would eliminate you."_

Anger's eyes widened at his father's familiar voice, and a wave of adrenaline-induced strength came upon him; he wrenched himself from Jualis' grip, only for a second dagger to stab deep into his upper shoulder, forcing him to collapse on the dusty ledge.

_"No,"_ he coughed, struggling to his hands and knees, when Jualis reached down and seized him by the throat.

He choked, staring into his father's vengeful eyes, and the king flashed a dark smile, his hand tightening. _"I suppose I should savor this, but I'd rather not waste time monologuing. You have evaded death for too long."_

The king's free hand moved, and another blade sank into his abdomen before he was flung against the cave wall, his head cracking on a stone, and his vision blurred.

_Eldin, help me!_ he begged mentally, gasping for breath and gagging at the taste of blood before he was enveloped by light.

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**A/N: **Sigh...I know, more italics. I promise, people will be speaking Hylian soon! And when that happens, I suppose you'll find out what Anger's name is _really _supposed to sound like. Or you can cheat and look up the word for "anger" in the _Shaekar'i_ dictionary that's on the Redemption Series website. XD Either way, I kind feel evil right now...oh well. He had to get beat up eventually. Now you know that the Master from the first chapter is named "Jualis," at any rate. Oh, and he's the king of the Sheikah, and Anger is his son. Which makes Anger a prince. Royalty! Yay! XD Oh, and by the way, the whole conversation with Eldin lacks quotation marks because they were speaking telepathically.


	6. Wounds

**Chapter 6: Wounds**

It was almost tradition for Gwen to climb out onto the roof of her house each night to watch the moon rise; it relaxed her, took her mind off things. This night was no different, and she leaned against the chimney, her gaze fixed on the stars, searching for familiar constellations.

However, she barely had time to see the first light of the moon before a different light alerted her to something happening in the square. A golden flash, then a shadow descended to rest beside the fountain.

The Hylian squinted to see the shape in the darkness, and realized with shock that it was a human. She immediately slid down her roof and used a rafter to swing down into her open window, running downstairs from there until she reached the fountain.

It was the man she'd met in the field. He was slumped over on the fountain wall, pale gray spikes protruding out of his back, silver-red blood staining his blue tunic and matting down his long, white hair. Quickly, she checked his pulse, amazed when she found that he was alive, his heart pulsing slowly and weakly.

The man's neck shifted under her fingers as he moaned softly, his eyes flickering open. The young doctor was astounded that he had woken, considering the extent of his injuries. Only one of the wounds was currently bleeding, a deep puncture in his gut, and she carefully applied pressure, hoping it wasn't too late to save him.

"Can you hear me?" she asked softly.

_"R-rano,"_ he groaned, his breathing shallow and labored.

Gwen looked around; he was too large for her to pick up, but she didn't want to drag him. "Can you hold on for a little bit longer? I need to find help."

_"Ins!"_ he gasped, causing her to jump back, startled. Her mouth fell open in shock when he pushed himself up on shaky arms and slowly moved his legs until he was crouched there, shuddering in pain, but on his feet. _"Ins…"_ he breathed, softer this time, a pair of blood-red eyes flickering up to stare at her dazedly.

Although she was a bit frightened by his eyes, and, as a doctor, she would normally prohibit him from moving at all with the extent of his injuries, she figured that it was better than nothing, and she reached out and grabbed him upper arm gently. "Come on, I'll take care of you. Can you walk?"

_"S-sya,"_ he stammered, almost falling again before he seemed to find a new strength and stood, his entire body trembling from the exertion.

"Hang on, it's not too far," Gwen murmured to him in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. She had no idea how he was still alive at this point, much less strong enough to stand.

The only response he gave was a low groan, and she was fairly certain that his eyes weren't really focused on anything anymore, though thankfully he did walk, placing one foot unsteadily in front of the other. She had no idea what she'd do if he did collapse; he was so much bigger than her, she'd never be able to carry him.

He stumbled, and she caught him quickly before he could fall, looping her arm under his shoulder and across his back to brace him in an upright position; she knew he wouldn't hold out for very long, but her house was only a few steps away. She was strangely grateful that it was a late enough hour that no one was outside.

She opened the door and led him inside, closing the entrance behind them and leading him carefully to the bed along the far wall that she reserved for the rare instances when she'd have a badly wounded patient.

Gwen brought him over and gently pushed him down onto it so that he was laying flat on his stomach; he mumbled something incoherent, but at this point, he seemed too out of it to really register the pain. She propped a pillow under his head and ran to grab several cloths, thread, a needle, a knife, and to fill a basin with water.

She used the knife to cut his tunic off, carefully prying it away from his sweat-soaked skin and giving her more access to his wounds. They weren't spikes after all, but a pair of daggers. Oddly, it looked like the flesh had already started to heal, which made her grimace, knowing that she'd have to cut him more to remove the blades.

There was also a shallow head wound and the third puncture, which looked like it had been made by some sort of long, thin knife. After removing the daggers, she acted quickly to staunch the fresh blood flow, noting with concern that he was far too cold and likely suffering from shock. She sanitized the deep wounds and grabbed a cloth, forcing it into his mouth.

He uttered a muffled protest, panicking in spite of his feverish state, but she held him down. "Sorry, but this will hurt, and I don't need you to break your teeth on top of everything else."

She hoped he could still understand her; if not, it was going to be difficult. Thankfully, he seemed to get the message, and his struggles subsided. Gwen took the needle and thread and began stitching the wounds; he gave one muffled yelp, then was mercifully unconscious.

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**A/N: **So, clearly Eldin took pity on him and at least partially healed him. Just enough to keep him from dying. Please note that I _could _have described the wounds and what Gwen was doing to him in greater detail, but some of you might be reading this on your lunch break, and I don't want to be responsible for any accidental vomiting. I wonder if Eldin's trying to play matchmaker by sticking him in the same town as Gwen? XD As of this chapter, any _Shaekar _that is spoken will only be translated via a glossary at the end of each chapter. That way, when you're actually reading it, you can be as confused as Gwen is. XD

**Translations: **

_"Rano." _: "Help."

_"Ins." : _"No."

_Sya." : _"Yes."


	7. Musing

**Chapter 7: Musing**

An hour later, Gwen sat on a chair near the edge of the bed, watching her patient anxiously; he was no longer in danger of dying from his wounds, and now that he was stabilized, she had an opportunity to study him, finding that he bore black tattoos all over his muscular arms, shoulders, and chest, all of them either some sort of strange symbol, or written in a language she couldn't comprehend.

He also made no sense whatsoever biologically. His heart seemed to be located two inches higher than normal, his blood was red with a strange silvery sheen to it, and his temperature had risen drastically to a lethal level, yet he showed no signs of overheating. Every now and then, his tanned skin would start rippling with an eerie, black fire as he shifted restlessly on the bed.

Whatever he was, she knew that he certainly wasn't Hylian.

Figuring that he wasn't likely to wake up anytime soon, she went over to her desk, where she had placed the daggers; upon further inspection, she had found that they were carved from some sort of gray bone with cryptic symbols scratched into the surface. Each one was nearly thirteen inches in length. It had been nothing short of a miracle that he had survived.

She looked back at him again, studying his face. He looked pretty young, maybe about her age, but judging from the sheer volume of scars that he bore, she guessed that he was either older than he looked, or had been in many battles within a short time.

Then there was the troubling fact that every time she had touched his skin while healing him, she felt a freezing shock to her chest as if she's been stabbed with an icicle. She wasn't sure if it was something he was doing, or if she was suffering from some weird medical condition, but either way it was freaking her out.

Gwen sighed, sitting at her desk and resting her chin in her hands, staring at the man on the other side of the room. She'd been up all night trying to save his life, and the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on her.

Her head began to droop, and she fought it, but soon, the young woman had fallen asleep sitting upright in the chair, unaware that, across the room, a different pair of eyes had just opened.

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**A/N:** Another short one. Hey, just be thankful that I'm writing this thing so quickly! So yeah, Anger is a freak of nature. Shiny, silvery-red blood? Freaking hot like a werewolf? Wow, these Sheikah guys sure are strange. XD


	8. Pain

**Chapter 8: Pain**

It was the pain that woke him, a fiery ache tingling through every part of his body, and he felt an uncharacteristic fear. Without moving, he looked around frantically, searching for any sign of his deranged father, but no, he was in a small room that he didn't recognize, seemingly alone…then he saw her.

The Hylian, sitting next to the bed he was on. Her eyes were closed, though, and she seemed unaware that he'd woken. Asleep, he guessed. He shifted on the bed and tried to sit up, but his muscles seized in protest, and he hissed, collapsing back onto the mattress.

_Of all the people…Eldin, I will kill you!_ he snarled inwardly, making another attempt, but the pain was too great. He forced himself to lay still, one hand gripping the blanket under him as he felt the urge to strangle something.

Speaking of strangulation, his throat hurt a lot less than it should. Eldin must have healed him at least partially, otherwise he would be dead. He grimaced, knowing that his father would be searching for him to finish the job. The Sheikah king probably hadn't expected Eldin to intervene in his attempted assassination, and would likely be furious. He was annoyed at himself for letting his guard down so easily.

He sighed, focusing his magic. He didn't have enough strength to heal himself completely, but he could at least numb the agony enough for him to move. A black fire spread over his skin, the pain in his head and abdomen vanishing quickly, though his chest wounds still ached, likely because of how deep they were.

Again, he moved to rise, this time managing to get into a sitting position, leaning against the wall for support. His breath came faster, and he grimaced, irritated that such a small thing was so difficult.

He eyed the Hylian warily, wondering how he'd ended up with her. He didn't remember much beyond the attack. He did recall what Eldin had said, though. About the Bond. He didn't like it, but he doubted that the light spirit was wrong.

Curiously, he reached out and lightly touched her hand. Just like the first time, he felt that icy shock. Unlike before, however, he forced himself to not remove his hand, and the ice slowly faded into more of a mild chill before changing into warmth.

His brow furrowed, and he cocked his head in confusion. He knew what the Bond was, but he'd never heard mention of anything like this. He pulled back and looked down at himself; the wounds weren't pretty, but at least they didn't seem life-threatening anymore. He wanted to know what had happened to his tunic and weapons, but he didn't try getting up to look for them, knowing that he wouldn't succeed in the state he was in.

Instead, he looked around again, this time spotting his flute on a desk across the room, laying next to a pair of gray knives. He growled softly, recognizing the blades, then heard a faint noise. He glanced to his left, seeing the Hylian shifting in her chair; he inched away from her cautiously, uncertain of what would happen. He wanted to just leave before she woke up, but he was in no condition to stand up, let alone survive out there with a maniac trying to kill him.

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**A/N: **Argh, another short chapter! The next one will be longer, I promise. It's just...there's not much I can write when only one of them is awake without making it into a weird "he just stares at her until she wakes up" kind of thing. I'm trying to keep all creepy behavior between them at a minimum, okay?


	9. Necklace

**Chapter 9: Necklace**

Gwen woke with a start, shivering slightly, and looked up to find herself gazing into a pair of red eyes. The man was sitting up and leaning against the wall; he tilted his head in a slight nod, and she quickly bolted to her feet. "What are you doing up?!"

"I awoke and found that I was capable of sitting up, therefore I did so," he replied, a vague hint of irritation in his deep voice.

"You almost died last night!" she snapped. "You shouldn't be moving around!"

"I am currently sitting still, not moving."

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "You think you're clever, do you?"

"Decidedly not, seeing as how I ended up in this place," he muttered, scowling at her. "How did I get here?"

"Uh, I found you in the market square. Don't you remember?"

"No…I only remember the pain," he admitted softly, seeming confused. Then his expression became almost panicked, his eyes widening as he leaned forward to stare at her intently. "Did you save my life?"

Gwen was taken aback by the question. "Shouldn't that be obvious?"

He shook his head vehemently. "No! Did you or did you not directly intervene with and halt the process of death from occurring in my physical body, thus keeping my soul here in this realm?"

"That's one fancy way of describing it, but yes, I did 'keep your soul in this realm.' Why?"

He slammed a fist against the wall, abruptly looking furious. _"Ins! Eaka?! Laekera riam zem faelit lar ta nanil me kiraes!_ Hylia _lofik lano insla!"_

She quickly took a few paces away from him, eyeing him warily. "Is something wrong, sir?"

"Everything," he hissed, his eyes becoming bright with an unnatural glow. "Why did you save my life?"

"Because I could. Would you have rather died?"

"Yes!" he snarled. "I'd rather have death than be trapped here!"

"I'm not 'trapping' you here," she retorted. "I'm a doctor; it's my job to heal people. I saw you dying in the street, so I helped you. I would do the same for anyone."

"You don't know what you have done."

"I _would_ know if you'd actually explain it to me!" Gwen snapped. "Most people would be _grateful_ to be alive!"

"Just…don't talk to me," he sighed, turning away and abruptly showing great interest in a loose thread on the mattress.

She rolled her eyes, exasperated. "If it's any consolation, you can leave as soon as your wounds are healed. I'm not keeping you here."

_"Sya kiraes lina,"_ he grumbled, laying down and covering his eyes with one hand.

"I can't understand you when you speak like that," Gwen told him, feeling both amused and bewildered by his strange behavior. She watched him for a bit, but he didn't move again or otherwise acknowledge her, so she went over to her desk and inspected the items she'd removed from him last night.

The two gray daggers, a pair of long, slightly curved swords that had been strapped to his back, a silver flute engraved with strange symbols, and a necklace with a blue, stone pendant that glowed with a faint, white aura. She touched the necklace warily, and the stone immediately gave off a low hum.

"Get away from that!" the man bellowed, grabbing her from behind and throwing her across the room.

She hit the floor hard, gasping, and the man sagged to his knees, gripping the corner of the desk tightly as he glared at her, though he was sweating and panting from the exertion, blood beginning to ooze out of the wounds on his chest.

Gwen lay there for a moment, stunned by the sheer power and ferocity that he'd displayed, then managed to get up, wincing; she knew she'd have bruises later. "What is wrong with you?!" she exclaimed, leaning against the wall for support. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"No, I'm keeping you from erasing yourself," he growled, reaching with a shaky hand to grab the necklace, putting it on. The stone's glow became brighter for an instant, then it dulled until it looked no different from any well-polished gem.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

He stood, swaying slightly and blinking rapidly as he tried to keep his balance. "It doesn't matter right now. Just…don't ever touch this stone again. Please."

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**A/N: **So, it looks like them being stuck with each other will be..._interesting_, to say the least. That dude really needs to calm down; he's too dramatic. Then again, maybe he has a reason to be dramatic. XD The reasons for his outbursts will be explained...eventually.

**Translations:**

_"Ins! Eaka?! Laekera riam zem faelit lar ta nanil me kiraes!_ Hylia _lofik lano insla!" _: "No! Why?! I would rather die than be bound to you! Hylia take me now!"

_"Sya kiraes lina." _: "Yes you are."


	10. Stitches

**Chapter 10: Stitches**

The man shuddered, gritting his teeth at the pain that knotted his muscles and prevented him from walking. He felt dizzy, the difference between up and down becoming blurred before he fell back to the floor, unable to stand any longer.

Something cold touched his arm, and he forced himself to look up, meeting the Hylian's gaze. "That was sorta stupid of you," she told him quietly. "You tore your stitches."

He glared at her for a moment, but grudgingly admitted to himself that she was right; his wounds felt like they were on fire. "Did I hurt you?"

She looked surprised. "Uh…not really. Just some bruises. Do you actually care?"

He sighed, grabbing the edge of the desk for stability again. "Not really, but it's required that I ask."

"That makes no sense whatsoever."

He smirked, aware that she really had no idea just what was truly going on. "I know."

She frowned, then tugged gently on his arm. "Come on, you need to lay back down. Do you think you can make it across the room?"

He gave a single nod before struggling back to his feet, grimacing at the pain as he took a few, short steps. He wanted to shake her hand off, but he was nowhere near steady enough to walk on his own. He shuffled across the room like an old man, cursing Hylia for his fate as, with the Hylian's help, he managed to get back to the bed.

She shook her head at him, grabbing a needle and a roll of thread. He scowled, drawing away as he realized what she was going to do. "No. You have no need to sew me up like a piece of torn cloth."

She rolled her eyes, taking a pair of scissors and sitting on the bed next to him. "Those injuries are far too large; they'll never seal properly on their own."

"I was already stabbed with enough blades last night, I don't need you adding to it!" he snapped, pulling back and pressing himself against the wall defensively.

"Oh, stop being such a child. This won't hurt nearly as bad as it will if you _don't_ let me. Now hold still and stop complaining."

His mouth opened slightly as if he was about to shoot back a retort, but he merely glared at her. "Make it quick," he hissed venomously, lowering his arms to his sides.

She sighed, nodding, and snipped the broken stitches off with the scissors before threading the needle and getting to work on the puncture in his chest. His body immediately went rigid, the tendons in his arms standing out sharply as his fists tightened until his knuckles turned white.

He fought back every urge he felt that was telling him to throw her away and run, instead fixing his attention on her hands as they moved quickly over the injury, her fingertips quickly becoming stained with the silvery-red sheen of his blood.

"So what's your name?" she asked abruptly, not even bothering to look up. "And don't give me that silly 'Anger' nonsense," she added. In spite of his pain, he chuckled, earning himself a light slap to the face, her blue gaze briefly flickering up to glower at him with a look that clearly warned against further movement. "I fail to see how that amuses you."

"It _is_ my name," he informed her, smirking. "Well, part of it anyway."

"Your parents must have been incredibly uninventive, then," she muttered, finishing the first wound and moving up to the one on his shoulder.

"It sounds a lot better in my native tongue," he assured her, for the first time not feeling annoyed. "Rethra."

She glanced up at him again, appearing interested. "So your name is Rethra? But you said it's only _part_ of your name?"

"Yes, only part," he answered, shrugging out of habit, then flinched, expecting her to smack him again, but all she did was pause briefly to give him another glare and get back to work.

"Then what's your full name?" she pressed.

He gave her a genuine smile at that, shaking his head slightly. "It's a bit of a mouthful. Are you _sure_ you want to know?"

"Yes," she answered definitively.

"Fine. My full name is _Rel Rethra Igos du Ikana Majaln Raina Ara Nanil te Saoni Jualisan no las Shaekar_."

Gwen immediately stopped what she was doing, looking up to stare at him in shock. "How can one man have that many names?!"

"That's my full name. Not all of my names," he clarified quickly. "I'm also known as _Las Faelin, Saera Rel,_ and _Salla no Xhalai_."

She raised an eyebrow, then muttered under her breath and focused on the wound again, finishing the last bit of needlework before leaning back to meet his gaze again. "I'm never going to be able to remember all that. I think I'll just stick to calling you 'Rel.' And how the heck did you get the name Sarah? That's a girl's name!"

He laughed. "_Saera_, not Sarah!"

"I fail to see the difference," she responded dryly, getting up to clean her tools and put them away.

"It means 'snow.'"

"Still sounds girly," she called teasingly, yelping when a pillow hit her back.

She whirled around to see him with his hands behind his head, grinning innocently. "Don't call me 'Rel,' by the way," he said, pointing at his raw wounds quickly as a defense when she raised the pillow threateningly.

She huffed in annoyance, but dropped the item on his lap instead of beaning him with it like she wanted to. "Why not?"

"It's a title, not technically a name. You can call me Rethra."

"What's Rel mean, then?"

He hesitated, shoving the pillow behind his back to lean on. "Is that a direct question, or just you wondering aloud?"

"What's it matter?" she grumped, sitting down next to him. He didn't respond, so she turned to look at him. He was staring at her steadily, though with a hint of anxiety. "It was a question," she finally told him.

"It…it…means…prince," he said slowly, looking away from her as he spoke the last word.

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**A/N1: **In case you're wondering why they're being friendly to each other all of a sudden...well, they never hated each other to begin with; the poor guy was just stressed and exasperated. That, and her basically insulting him and calling him"girly" took some serious guts, considering that he's over seven feet tall, a mountain of muscle, and just displayed that he has no problem tossing people across a room like they're flimsy toys. So, he's starting to like her a bit. And yes, Anger is Rethra. And you probably already figured out that he's a prince, since his dad is the king, but it kinda needed to be spelled out for plot's sake. Now you know. XD Oh, and each of the words in his overly long name do actually mean something, but I won't tell you because knowing the meaning of his name(s) would give away a few minor spoilers. Although, once again, you can just go to the Redemption Series website if you want to cheat and figure out what his name means on your own. It'll be quite the puzzle though, because a few of those words aren't in the dictionary there yet. XD Or, y'know, you could send me a Private Message in your review and I'll decide for myself whether I want you to know any spoilers or not. :P

**A/N2: **When you give me reviews, they get placed inside a Machine that jumbles those letters and writes the next chapter for me. No reviews = no fuel for The Machine. Please feed The Machine! O:)


	11. Sheikah

**Chapter 11: Sheikah**

"You're _royalty_?! What in Din's name are you doing wandering like a vagrant?"

Rethra stared at her for a moment, then looked down. "It is a difficult story to explain. However, I am certainly not 'wandering.'"

Gwen frowned at him. "Am I going to have to worry about armed guards showing up at my door?"

He gave a halfhearted smile, shaking his head. "I do not have bodyguards or servants like Hylian royals do; I have to fend for myself."

"You're a _prince_; shouldn't your people care about your safety?"

He shrugged. "The king has plenty of children; if I die, there are at least two other direct heirs to the throne, not including the king's brothers, who could conceivably take over if the king and all three of his sons managed to get themselves killed. Things are rather stable; no one cares what happens to me."

"That's…a bit harsh," she said quietly, surprised by how apathetic he seemed. "How did you get wounded in the first place?"

He flashed her a look of annoyance before returning his gaze to his lap. "Those knives you pulled out of my back? They belong to the king."

"The _king_ tried to kill you?!" she yelped, jumping up from the bed. "Are you some kind of wanted felon?!"

He sighed, resting his head in his hands. "No, not really. At least, I haven't done anything against the law. My father just wants me dead for…personal reasons.

"Rethra, you better tell me exactly what's going on!" she snapped, stomping her foot. "If I'm going to have an angry king coming to my house, I deserve to know why! I want to know that I'm not housing a criminal!"

He glared at her, but nodded slowly. "If you'll stop shouting at me, I'll tell you. Let's try to keep this civil, please."

Gwen crossed her arms and glowered down at him. "Then tell me."

"It's a bit long, so you'll have to bear with me. I'm the firstborn son of the king. The king hates me due to an argument we had…a long time ago. We're basically opposites, and he will do anything in his power to prevent me from ever inheriting the throne. He adores his secondborn son, however, and wants _him_ to take the throne instead of me. Of course, for that to happen, I need to be dead, so the king has been repeatedly trying to assassinate me for a _very_ long time now. Last night was only the most recent of his attempts, and he would have succeeded, if not for you."

"So your dad wants you dead because of some sort of grudge?"

He nodded again. "Yeah, basically. I promise, Guinevere, I am not a criminal. My king just happens to be evil."

She eyed him for a moment, not quite sure whether she should believe him or not, but even if he _was_ lying there wasn't anything she could do; he was a lot stronger than her even while wounded. "Fine. But some things in your story don't make sense. If you're not Hylian royalty, then what the heck are you? You don't look like a Gerudo."

He rolled his eyes. "For that, I am grateful. I'm the prince of the Sheikah tribe."

Gwen scoffed. "The Sheikah? They're extinct! You'll have to do better than that."

"The cynical type, are you?" he responded, chuckling. "All right, I'll prove it. Have you ever been to _Ka'riko_?"

She gave him a blank look. "Am I supposed to know what that is?"

"Oh, sorry. Kakariko Village. Have you ever been there?"

"Yes, but I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Have you ever noticed a symbol shaped like an eye inscribed throughout the village? An eye with three lashes and a teardrop?"

"Uh huh. Could you be a little less roundabout?"

He smirked, then pointed to his shoulder. "This symbol, right?"

She stared, amazed; blending right in with the massive amount of tattoos lacing his shoulders and back was a decorative eye, three triangles forming lashes above it and a teardrop-shape below. "How come I never noticed that?"

"Well, it's not exactly obvious," he replied. "The eye represents the Sheikah, who see everything that goes on within Hyrule. The three lashes represent the three sides of the Triforce, Power, Wisdom, and Courage, which my tribe has sworn to protect. The tear symbolizes the bitter wars that my tribe have been involved in, and the two points curling up from the corners of the eye represent the two rulers of the Sheikah, the King and his second-in-command."

"Okay, I'm slightly more convinced," Gwen answered, stunned. "How come no one ever sees the Sheikah, though?"

"We're the Shadow People," he said simply. "We're stealthy, we know how to blend in. It's technically against the law for Hylians to ever see us."

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**A/N: **Isn't Gwen adorable when she's angry? XD There will be an explanation for why Rethra is being so open with her later on.

**Translations:**

_"Ka'Riko." _: "Dark Well"


	12. Color

**Chapter 12: Color**

Gwen stood there and stared at him for a while, the sheer magnitude of her situation beginning to sink in. He was a _Sheikah_. A type of creature so powerful, so mysterious, that most Hylians thought they were myths. She'd grown up hearing stories about them, but her father had always told her that they were long gone, disappeared into the mists of time. And now their prince was sitting in her living room, disheveled and wounded, and she had to take care of him.

"Did I say something wrong?"

She jumped at his words, startled at the abrupt break in silence. "No. Why?"

He shrugged, brushing a stray lock of hair behind one ear and cocking his head, his unnatural eyes watching hers carefully. "You seemed kinda spaced out. Either that, or you were falling asleep."

"Why are your eyes red?" she blurted suddenly, unable to stop herself.

He raised a single eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "Because at some point at the dawn of this land, Hylia apparently decided that all Sheikah should be born with red eyes."

She frowned. "Seriously?"

Rethra chuckled. "I have no clue. That's the only answer that seems likely. Everyone in my tribe is basically the same color: red eyes, white hair, tan skin."

She shook her head, amazed. "Don't you think that's strange?"

"Well, we thought you were strange, too," he countered

"Excuse me?"

"When Hylians first showed up in this land, we were wondering why you all looked so different," he explained. "Blond, black, red, and brown hair, green, blue, and brown eyes…it was weird to us. We'd never seen such diversity before. You were all so unique. Sheikah, well…we're individuals, yes, but if you stood us all in a crowd, we'd probably all look identical to you."

"That's kind of sad, actually," Gwen mused. "Do you really all look the same?"

"Well, not to each other," he amended. "But in my experience, you Hylians really can't tell us apart that easily other than the basic 'that one's a man, that's a woman, and oh look, there's some children.'"

She laughed at the ridiculous, nasally accent he used to mock a 'Hylian' voice. "Do we really sound like that to you?"

He grinned, folding his hands behind his head. "Some. Not all. Like I said, you guys are pretty diverse."

Now convinced that he wasn't a criminal, she sat back down next to him, eyeing his tattoos. "Do those actually mean anything?" she asked, gesturing.

Rethra glanced down at himself, then shrugged. "Yeah. Most just mark my rank, titles, and various accomplishments in life. Only a few are truly important."

Ignoring the resulting chill that she knew would come, she lightly touched a rather small one located on his arm. It seemed to be a series of smaller symbols forming a decorative chain. "What did this one mean?"

His eyes narrowed as he studied it. "It's one of my titles. _Salla no Xahlai_. It's written in _Shaekar'i_ script, though, so I don't fault you for not understanding it."

"So what's it mean?" she pressed, tracing the marks with one finger. She'd noticed pretty quickly while healing him that the freezing sensation faded after a bit. She made a mental note to ask him about it later.

He scowled at her. "Don't touch me."

"It doesn't say that!"

"How do you know? You can't read it," he retorted, though she caught a faint smile before he looked away.

She rolled her eyes, but lowered her hand. "Just tell me. Please?"

"Well, since you asked nicely…"

"Rethra Iggy-doo, you tell me right now!" she scolded, unable to hold back her laughter.

He gave her a startled look, then seemed to figure it out. "_Igos du_. If you're going to give a full-name ultimatum, at least get the first part of it right."

"Well, your name is so long that I doubt I'd remember it even if I did know how to pronounce it. Just give me a straight answer, will ya?"

He sighed, rubbing his eyes slowly. "Fine. It means 'Friend of Dragons.' Are you happy now?"

"Nope."

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**A/N: **I don't think I should need to provide any translations for this chapter, seeming as how Rethra did so himself. Wow, this story is turning out to be a fluff festival, isn't it? Don't worry, more depressing stuff happens eventually. XD


	13. Four Elements

**Chapter 13: Four Elements**

"So when you say 'dragons,' do you mean that literally? Like, you're friends with real, live dragons?"

Rethra seemed confused. "I can't be friends with them metaphorically, can I? They're certainly not fake, dead ones."

She glared at him. "If you weren't injured, I'd smack you."

"Good to know," he retorted, smirking. "Yes, real dragons."

"I thought dragons were extinct, though!"

He cocked his head. "Didn't you just say that about the Sheikah a little bit ago?"

Gwen gave him an irritated look, then laughed. "Okay, fair enough. Honestly, though, aren't dragons supposed to be huge, terrifying fire-breathers with thousands of teeth and a short temper?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You have the 'huge and toothy' part right. It all depends, though. I mean, thunder and fire dragons are usually pretty calm and friendly. It's the water and ice dragons that are violent and likely to eat you. And only the fire dragons can breathe fire. Hence the name."

"So what do the others do then, shout at you?"

He met her gaze, appearing completely serious now. "The thunder dragons can hit you with bolts of lightning, the ice ones can freeze you solid, and the waters…well, one got pretty ticked a while back and flooded the entire forest. It's not a pretty sight."

"So…what kind are you friends with?" she asked tentatively.

"Well, there's a fire dragon, two waters, and a thunder that I'm pretty close to," he answered, smiling.

"Really? What are their names?"

"The fire is called Eldin, the two waters are Ordona and Faron, and the thunder is Lanayru. None of them are within Hyrule's borders, though."

"Then where are they?" she replied, confused.

"Ordona and Faron live far south, way beyond Lake Hylia. Lanayru lives in a place called Lake Floria, and Eldin lives on Death Mountain. They're hard to find unless you know where to look, though."

"So what about ice dragons, then?"

He gave her a serious look. "Never mess with ice dragons. They're the most powerful of all the breeds, with quick tempers and reflexes to match. Taming one is impossible."

"I take it you've tried, then?" she guessed, picking up on the tone of his voice.

He smirked. "Tried. It…didn't work."

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**A/N: **Giving you guys this short chapter to appease you, because it appears that someone has thrown a block at my head. I'm not pointing fingers, but Tannin Starflare is probably going to get thrown into detention for a bit... XD In all seriousness, life is busy, and that's putting a bit of a damper on my writing. I'll try to make the next chapter longer to make up for this one, okay? :o)


	14. Immunity

**Chapter 14: Immunity**

Gwen watched him for a bit, waiting for him to say anything further on the subject, but he seemed disinterested in continuing, instead switching his attention to that glowing rock on his necklace and fiddling with it. Without him distracting her anymore, she abruptly realized how hungry she was.

"I'm going to go wash up, then I'll make breakfast, okay? Don't disappear."

He shrugged, not meeting her gaze. "It's your house; do whatever you want."

She frowned slightly, concerned by his change in demeanor, but turned away and went about her business, soon ending up in the kitchen, where she began making a thin vegetable soup; she figured that he shouldn't eat anything too solid, what with his internal organs still recovering and all.

All was silent for about five minutes, then Gwen heard a faint whispering coming from the next room. Curious, she poked her head around the doorframe to see that her odd patient was laying down again, his eyes closed, murmuring some sort of mantra in that Sheikah language.

Then he stopped, a single eye opening and looking in her direction. Sheepishly, she withdrew, returning to her cooking, but keeping an ear out for further noises.

To her surprise, she heard his deep voice again, this time _singing_ of all things. The tune was soft, and the lyrics were entirely in his native tongue, but there was a mildly playful edge to his voice, reminding her of the cheerful songs that the town children would sometimes sing in the streets.

Gwen shook her head and resumed her cooking, not sure what to make of him, and soon found that she was enjoying listening to the steady cadence of his strange, accented words. Not that she could understand any of it; he could be belting out a drinking song for all she knew.

After a bit, she went back in and sat next to the bed with the food. "So, are you hungry?"

He stopped singing immediately, sitting up slowly and wincing. "I suppose so. What is it?"

"Vegetable soup. It's just carrots, peas, potatoes and cucco broth."

"Oh, sorry, potatoes are poisonous to Sheikah."

"What?" she exclaimed, bewildered. She waited for him to smile, or something that would indicate that he was kidding, but his expression remained dead-serious. She hesitated, not wanting to be fooled, but then again, she knew nothing about his kind. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Of course not!" he answered, looking offended even as he reached out and took the bowl from her, poking at its contents suspiciously with one finger and grimacing. "I could risk it, though. I mean, you never know, I might be one of that rare strain of Sheikah that has a potato immunity."

"Forget your father," she snapped. "_I'm_ going to murder you!"

"You're not a very good doctor," he mused, taking a careful sip of the soup. "This doesn't have keese meat in it, right?"

"Yes it does," she growled.

"Liar," he shot back, smiling, seeming totally oblivious to her irritated mood.

Gwen scowled at him. "Why would you even ask about keese meat, anyway? That stuff is revolting!"

"Well, unlike potatoes, keese can actually be fatal to Sheikah," he answered calmly, taking another sip. "Their tail barb has a potent venom, and their flesh is poisonous."

"Uh, gross as it is, I know a few Hylians who have eaten keese meat, and it has never harmed them."

"Like I said, it's fatal to _Sheikah_. Funny, isn't it? Most powerful race in Hyrule, so easily killed by something as tiny, fragile, and numerous as a keese."

"Rethra, I won't be fooled twice," she warned.

He shrugged. "Believe me or don't; it doesn't matter. You really don't know how to take a joke, do you?"

"I…I've been a bit isolated recently," Gwen admitted.

The Sheikah met her gaze, his expression oddly understanding. "I know what that's like," he eventually muttered softly. "Feels like you can't trust anyone after being alone for so long."

"Well…yeah," she answered, a bit surprised. "But you have an entire tribe; how could you possibly be lonely?"

"I'm alone now, aren't I?" he sighed. "My king wants me dead, and my tribe will obey him."

"I'm here, though."

Rethra frowned at her, then slowly nodded. "Yes. Yes you are. And I never did thank you for helping me."

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**A/N: **So, I apologize for it taking me so long to add new chapters. This is the time of the year when my life becomes super-busy; I have a part-time job, 22 animals that need taking care of, and breeding season has just started for my leopard geckos. So if it takes a while for me to write Forbidden, then that's the reason why: I'm just too busy to be writing. Sorry. :( I'll still do my best to have new chapters up often, but it just might take a bit longer than usual. _Oh, and a new character is going to be introduced in the next chapter!_ XD

**To _Link's Friend_:** Because you either don't have an account or never sign in, then I can't reply to you privately, but I just figured I'd tell you that I see and read all of your reviews, and I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your feedback. Thank you. :o) And it's also nice to know that at least one of my reviewers actually looks at the art of the characters. And...yes, Gwen _did_ unknowingly save all of Hyrule by saving Rethra. ;-)

**To the rest of you: **The _Redemption Series_ website has been revamped to have a simpler design and easier-to-access bonus content. Feel free to explore it; there's a link on my profile page because FF doesn't let you put links in story chapters.


	15. Shield

**Chapter 15: Shield**

"So can your dad find us?"

Rethra flinched, looking away from her quickly. "He…has a lot of resources, and he is an excellent hunter. To be honest, I'm surprised he hasn't found us already."

"So, at any moment, he could show up knocking at my door? Great."

"Jualis doesn't 'knock,'" Rethra muttered, rolling his eyes. "You'll know if he shows up, because one of us will suddenly die. He's a Sheikah, a master of stealth. If he finds us, he'll come into this house without warning."

"Well, aren't you just a ray of sunlight?" Gwen snapped, standing up. "Sorry, but I don't fancy dying in my own home!"

"There's nothing I can do," he growled. "If I weren't injured, I'd leave and draw him away, but right now I can barely stand."

"You'd better hope he continues to take a while to find us, then."

"Oh, he will," a new voice cut in.

Gwen immediately grabbed the closest object, which happened to be one of Rethra's swords, and spun around, staring in shock at the tall, shadowy woman leaning against the far wall.

"How did you get in here?!" she demanded, brandishing the sword in what she hoped was a threatening manner. "Are you here to kill us?!"

The strange woman merely raised one eyebrow, her red eyes glowing bright. "Were I here to kill you, child, the deed would already be done. You may lower the weapon; for the moment, I mean no harm."

"'For the moment?'" Gwen repeated incredulously. "You think _that_ will make me relax?!"

"You misunderstand," the stranger replied icily. "I did not tell you to relax. I told you to lower the weapon."

"You think I'm going to take orders from you?" Gwen scoffed. "Get out of my house!"

"Guinevere!" Rethra cut in sharply. "Do as she says."

"Oh, so she's a friend of yours, is she?" Gwen asked scathingly, glaring at him.

He nodded. "Yes, and she means no harm. Please…put my sword down."

The Hylian frowned, irritated, but slowly placed the blade back onto the desk, eyeing the stranger warily. "Fine. Now who in Din's name is she?"

"I am Impa," the stranger responded, looking displeased. "_Rethra, han norasa? _Eldin_ viro lenia Jualis palisa me faela kiraes_."

He shrugged in reply. "Stabbed me three times and almost throttled me. Thanks for asking. Did he tell you where I was?"

The woman, Impa, tilted her head to one side curiously. "_Sya. Eaka lina kiraes kiias Rulyaial_?"

Rethra scowled, clearly annoyed. "That Hylian there saved my life. She prefers being able to understand what I say. It's an unfortunate truth."

Impa approached them and looked carefully at Rethra's wounds. "Well, I'd say you're lucky, then. A debt is the least of your worries right now."

"Are either of you going to tell me what's going on?" Gwen interjected, bewildered.

Impa gave Rethra a pointed look. "You haven't explained the situation to her? _Sana_, you are both in danger. Jualis is hunting you relentlessly. The only reason he has not found you yet is because I cast protective spells over this house."

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**Translations:**

"_Rethra, han norasa? _Eldin_ viro lenia Jualis palisa me faela kiraes_." : "Rethra, what happened? Eldin said that Jualis tried to kill you."

"_Sya. Eaka lina kiraes kiias Rulyaial_?" _:_ "Yes. Why are we speaking Hylian?"

_"Sana." _: "Brother."

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><p><strong>AN: **So, the new character is Impa. At least one of you guessed correctly! :o) Note that this is Impa as she appears in _Ocarina of Time, _but this is before Zelda has been born, so she's not acting as a nursemaid yet. And I might want to point this out now: yes, Rethra is a technically warrior, but Gwen is actually the more ready-to-fight out of the two. She's never held a sword in her life before now, but that doesn't mean she won't try to use one.

**EDIT: **By the way, the title of this chapter is _Shield_ because that is the translation of Impa's name. Impa means Shield, Rethra means Anger. And I would just like to ask this next question honestly: why does it seem like most of my readers/reviewers have vanished into thin air?


	16. Debt

**Chapter 16: Debt**

"It is more complicated than you realize," Rethra answered slowly. "_Las Zani_ was also formed. With her."

Impa's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, then she punched him. "_Kiraes stuara_! Are you insane? The wrath of the tribe shall be upon you both!"

"It was involuntary," he growled, shooting a warning look at Gwen when she stepped forward to intervene. "I had no choice in the matter. Blame Hylia if you want, but find no fault with me. Besides, what happened to 'a debt is the least of my worries?'"

"Not that kind of debt!" she snarled. "Such a thing is unheard of!"

"Until now, apparently," he retorted, wincing. "I'd leave, but I can't. Even if I were healed enough to walk, I can't leave her, not until the debt is fulfilled."

Impa's expression shifted into something unreadable, and she reached out and placed one hand on his shoulder, some kind of ethereal fire flowing out of her and into him. He went rigid for a moment, then sighed, sounding relieved.

She knelt to look into his eyes. "_Sana_, I will try to lead Jualis away from you, but I can do only so much. Like it or not, he is still our king, and if he gives me a direct order, I am honor-bound to obey. You cannot remain here. You must run, hide. We can figure out what to do about the debts later; for now, just get out of here. _Imet Alesar_ is still a sanctuary for you. He cannot go there."

"I already said, I can't leave her," he grumbled, flexing one arm experimentally. "Thank you, though."

"Bring her with you. If she stays here, Jualis will find her. He will be able to sense the connection."

"Whoa, wait a second; I'm not going anywhere!" Gwen protested, figuring out what they were talking about. "I have a job, a life! I'm a _doctor_! The only doctor in town! I can't leave!

The woman growled, straightening up. "Rethra, you convince her. I cannot linger for fear of drawing attention to this place. You must make haste, though. Time is running short."

Impa vanished into the shadows, then Rethra stood up carefully, slowly peeling his bandages off to reveal flawless, healed skin beneath. "Gwen, I really don't feel like arguing with you. The simple fact is that I have an evil father who wants me dead, and he will gladly murder anyone who aids me. That means you. Whether I stay or not, he will still find you and kill you. Come with me, you have the chance to live. I will protect you as best as I can. If you choose to remain, however, we will both die."

"Why can't you just leave, though? There were no witnesses, nothing to connect you to me."

"Jualis is a magic-user like me; he can sense my presence," he explained, picking his swords up carefully and strapping them on over his bare flesh, he tucked the silver flute into his belt. "Once the protective spells cast by Impa have faded from this place, he will find us immediately. And unless she is here actively sustaining the spells, they _will_ fade. It is merely a matter of when."

"Do I have to go with _you_ though? Why can't I just move in with a friend for a little while?"

He shook his head, picking up the bone daggers and placing them in his belt as well. "You would only succeed in bringing death to your friends as well. Trust me, Gwen, there is no other safe option."

She eyed him skeptically. "_Can_ I trust you, though? You're a freakish myth-prince who can apparently heal in an instant and you keep babbling nonsense about a 'debt.'"

"The healing was thanks to Impa," he responded, shrugging. "Most of us can do it. The debt…I can explain. If someone saves a Sheikah's life, then that Sheikah is bound by what would be called a 'Life-Oath' in your tongue. Basically, I'm stuck with you either as a bondservant for life, or until I save your life to pay back the debt."

Gwen froze, startled. "'_Bondservant_?' For _life_?"

"Or until I repay the debt," he affirmed, nodding.

"Define 'servant,'" she requested cautiously.

He sighed. "The usual definition. I have to serve you. Also, I have to answer your inane questions."

"Can I release you from your oath?" she asked hopefully. "I _really_ don't want to be stuck with you for the rest of my life."

"No, unfortunately. The oaths are enforced by Hylia. To break the oath would mean execution or worse, banishment. Don't worry, though; you're a fragile Hylian. I'm sure you'll need your life saved at some point soon."

Gwen scowled. "I am _not_ fragile!"

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**A/N: **First of all, I am extremely sorry that it's taking me so long to write new chapters. Part-time job, full-time reptile keeping, breeding season and whatnot keeps me quite busy. Secondly...well, now you know why Rethra has been so open with her. He's kinda forced by this Life-Oath to be compliant and answer her questions, do what she asks, etc. Sorry Impa wasn't in this for very long, but I promise she will show up again later.

**Translations:**

_"Las Zani." _: "The Bond."

_"Kiraes stuara!" _: "You fool!"

_"Sana."_ : "Brother."

_"Imet Alesar."_ : "Time Shift"


	17. Choice

**Chapter 17: Choice**

"Will you come with me or not?" he asked impatiently. "I narrowly avoided death last night; I do not want to face it again. Not this soon, anyway."

"Can you promise me that I'll be safe?" Gwen asked warily, taking a step back from him. "That I'll be able to come home again?"

He frowned, then sighed. "By my debt, I am bound to do all in my power to keep you from harm. However, you will only be able to return if the king perishes."

"Oh? And how likely is it that he'll drop dead within the next week?"

Rethra scowled, folding his arms and avoiding her gaze. "Not likely. Sheikah are immortal; the only things that can kill him are injury or sickness. Still, I am legally able to defeat him in combat, so there is that."

"The last time you faced him, he beat you senseless," she pointed out, irritated. "Are you saying I'm gonna be stuck with you indefinitely? And I have no choice in the matter?"

"The choice is between death and exile. You pick whichever you prefer. However, if you choose death, I am bound by my debt to save your life, whether you want me to or not," he answered, picking up the blanket from the bed. "Can I have this?"

"Go ahead; it's bloodstained from you anyway."

He nodded, then drew one of the knives and slashed a hole in the middle of the brown, plaid blanket before throwing it over his head as a makeshift poncho. "Thank you. What is your choice?"

Gwen covered her mouth quickly to stifle an unexpected laugh; he looked ridiculous now! He seemed oblivious, checking the windows to make sure they were secure. She looked around, realizing that her house was big and empty, and she didn't have many valuables. To be honest, she wouldn't be losing much by leaving. She was mostly worried about who would take over as the town doctor in her absence.

"There's no one else in town with any medical training," she eventually said quietly, sitting on the bed. "What if there's an emergency here? I can't leave Castle Town without a physician."

He turned to her, looking momentarily surprised before his expression softened. "I have a friend who can fill in for you. She's a good healer and is one of the few I can trust to not betray me."

"What friend?" Gwen responded skeptically.

"Well, you wouldn't know her. She's from my tribe, a Sheikah named Tilani Meliin. She is more skilled than any mortal doctor that can be found in Hyrule, and I would trust her with my life."

"Sounds like a nice person. She your girlfriend?"

Rethra immediately glanced away from her, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "No."

Gwen tilted her head, not sure if he was annoyed or just being bashful. "Do you _want_ her to be your girlfriend?"

"No. We are both single, and she may have attraction toward me, but we will never marry."

"Unwanted admirer?" she guessed.

"No!" he snapped. "I would marry her in a heartbeat if I could, but Sheikah relationships don't work that way! It's far more complex than you could comprehend. Now make your choice; are you coming with me or not? The town will be fine without you."

His response only left Gwen more confused, but she decided to not press the issue. And now that he'd given the answer to her main concern… "Okay. I'll go with you. But I don't want to be gone from home for too long, so you better figure out what to do about your psycho king."

"Oh, I'll probably kill him," he said with a slight grin. "Now pack up. We leave as soon as you're ready."

"Wouldn't that be treason?" she asked, grabbing a bag from under her desk and running upstairs to throw some cloths in it.

He followed her, shrugging. "No, not so long as I deliver a proper challenge within sight of the tribe. As his firstborn son, I am his heir, first in line for the throne. I'm the only one _allowed_ to fight him."

She opened her desk and packed her notebooks, pencils, and art journal, then snatched another bag that was filled with medical supplies. "Oh. Will there be food where we're going, or should I bring some?"

"_Alesar_ is well-stocked," he replied, picking up a pictograph box from her desk and inspecting it curiously. "This doesn't take pictos in color does it?"

She rolled her eyes, stuffing as many of her clothes into the bag as she could before taking a small album from her shelf and tucking it into her medical bag. "New to technology, huh? There's not a single pictograph box in Hyrule that can take color pictos. That's unheard of."

"Not really. They were invented by the Sheikah thousands of years ago."

"Well aren't you full of yourself?" she growled, yanking it away from him and shoving that into her bag as well. "I'm ready. Now how far away is this alley-place?"

"Near Zora's Domain," he told her, shouldering one of her bags. "And it's called _Alesar_. We'll have to move fast to avoid being caught, so follow close and do everything I tell you. Don't say anything that could be misinterpreted as an order, because I'll unfortunately have to obey, and I don't want stupidity to be the death of us."

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**A/N: **Soooo...my hours at my paid job were cut in half because of winter, so I abruptly have a bit more free time in the mornings and evenings. So hopefully this book won't be inching along so sluggishly anymore. No promises, but I'll do my best. Pay attention to this chapter; there were a few Chekov's Guns mentioned. (And consult TV Tropes dot org if you don't know what a Chekov's Gun is) Anyway, apparently there's a girl out there that Rethra already wants to marry. No wonder he was so mad at being bonded to Gwen!

**Translations:**

_"Alesar"_ : "Shift"


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